Daddy Long Legs (1955)

This is a rather lovely musical, featuring Fred Astaire as Jervis Pendleton, a wealthy man who travels to France and sees 18 year old orphan Julie (Leslie Caron). He determines to help her, and secretly pays for her to move to America, where he funds her schooling and pays her living expenses. Julie has no idea who her mysterious benefactor – who she calls ‘Daddy Long Legs’ – is, and is as eager to find out, as Jervis is to keep his secret. But when the two of them meet up after a few years, there is an attraction between them…

I enjoyed this film a lot – Fred Astaire is as pleasing as ever, and does some lovely dancing. Leslie Caron is a perfect partner for him in this respect, as she was an amazing ballet dancer, and their grace and talent combined makes for some beautiful sequences.

There’s plenty of comedy to be had as well – Astaire had a comic flair which was great for light-hearted film such as this, and Leslie Caron mixes just about the right amount of feistiness with a touch of vulnerability, making her character very endearing.

Basically, this is a very sweet, light and enjoyable film. Perfect for watching when you want something that you don’t need to think too hard about, but that will put a smile on your face. Definitely recommended for all fans of musicals.